The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA) announced that Jerry McEwen, Ph.D., vice president of science for the group, will be retiring after 25 years of service to consumers and member companies. CTFA also announced that upon McEwen’s retirement, the current director of cosmetic chemistry at CTFA, John Bailey, Ph.D., will be promoted to executive vice president of science.

"Jerry has provided outstanding leadership over the past 25 years heading CTFA's science programs,” said Pam Bailey, president of CTFA, in a press statement. “Through his extraordinary contributions, he has assembled and developed a first rate team in the CTFA science department and has been a leader in articulating to consumers the sound science behind personal care products." She added that McEwen has been an invaluable asset to CTFA as well as the entire cosmetics industry and will be greatly missed.

McEwen joined CTFA as the ingredient safety coordinator in September 1980, having previously served at the Stanford Research Institute. In 1987, he was promoted to vice president of science and has headed CTFA's largest department since that time. During his tenure, CTFA established and dramatically grew its electronic information services as well as many of its printed technical publications.

McEwen has also served as the industry liaison representative to the cosmetic ingredient review (CIR) expert panel, and has held leadership positions in the Environmental Sensitivities Research Institute, the American Contact Dermatitis Society, and the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. He also served on U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) advisory panels and on Canada's Health Canada Technical Committee on Cosmetics.